Clutch control mechanism



P. R. FOLLIS Mmh '10, 1936.

CLUTCH CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Feb. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S www w/ m@ I R T Qmv ./v M www f A@ mm @ma 7 mm um( jj w mm w @H w n@ mw Patented4 Mer. 1o, 193e narranV srArEs PATENr ori-uc oLU'rcn coN'raoL MEcnANrsM Paul llt. Follia, Paducah, Ky.. Application rem-mary 2a, i932, serial No. scarta 14 iClamS.

This invention relates'to apparatus for controlling the opening and closingl movements of clutches, and/has been designed more especially, although not exclusively, for automobile practice.

5 The object of the invention is to provide a mechanical clutch control mechanism which can be adapted for universal use on automobiles, tractors, buses, and the like, and may either be added by the user or builtin by the manufac der oi which may be thrown into communication with the intake manifold, and the piston of which z' s mechanically connected to the clutch, are old and known, and have, to some extent, been intro duced into practice. It has also beenproposed f ,to provide in addition means to suitably control Athe closing or engagingmovement of the clutch 25 and to properly relate its speed o engagement with the speedeof travel of the car itself so as to cause the clutch to pick up the load without either a forward or a backward jerk, which is distinctly unpleasant to the occupants of the car. A com- 0 plete cycle of clutch operation at present performed by the foot may be divided into our move;s1 ments, as follows. First, a quick forward action for disengaging; second, a partial return movement to the point of initial engagement of the 3;, clutch members; third, a retarded return movement permitting more or less slip of the clutch members to properly synchronize the clutch movement wit-h the car speed; and, fourth, nal inward movement during which the clutch members are 40 Afully engaged and the load is fully picked up. In

the design of the present invention I have provided novel valve mechanism controlled in part by the accelerator and in part by the gear shift lever for so regulating the discharge of air from .g lthe cylinder of the vacuum motor during the return or engaging movement of the clutch as to properly effect the engaging movement of the clutch and proportion the same to the varying speeds of the car when passing from low gear to 50 intermediate and from intermediate to high, so as to produce a smooth and indistinguishable pickupv of the load by the clutch and avoid sudden accelerations or jerks when passing from a lower to a high speed or vice versa.` 55 The invention, its mannerof operation, and

(Cl. 192-.il1l

the benets4 and advantages inherent therein l be readily understood and appreciated by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accome panying drawings in which I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment of the underlying principle oi the invention, and wherein- Fig. l is a side elevation of the equipment as applied to an automobile, with parts broken away and in section. il@

Fig. 2 is an enled amal section thro l i Ft the vacuum 'motor its controllingg valves and solenoids.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion oi the gear shift lever and gear box, illusmy trating attachments thereto lor modifying the dash-pot action oi the vacuum motor during the enga t r movement of the clutch.

Fig. t is a top plan view of Fig. 3 in section through the gear shift lever. o

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of accessory 2@ device for slowing up clutch. engagement when coasting in higher gears. k

Fig. l is a detail view oi a circuitv controllw which may be employed for the same purpose as the device ol Figs. 5 and 6. M.

Referring now to the drawings, it indicates generally the forward or motor housing portion of an automobile, vllt designates the motor casing,

l2 the ine mold, it the carburetor, it the m clutch housing, l5 the clutch pedal, it the accelerator pedal, and il the gear shift lever; all these parts being as usual.

Suitably attached to the ford side of the foot board i8, as by'means ot a rigid bracket it is the verticalcylinder 2d oi' a vacuum motor. The upper end of cylinder 2b communicates through acontrol valve housing 2i and a.l pipe line 22, with the intake mold l2 of the en-L gine. vReferring to Fig. 2, slidable within the cylinder is a'piston 23, the stem 2li of which l extends through a packing box in the bottom ,wall 26 of the cylinder and is connected by a exible cord or cable 21 to the clutch pedal l5, which latter is normally urged into clutch-engagw ing position by they usual spring 28 (Fig. l) The cble 21 is trained over aguid pulley 29 mounted in the lower end of a depending strut 30 attached to the foot boardid. It will thus be seen that when the pipe 221s placed in free comw munication with the upper end of the cylinder 2li, with the engine running, the piston 23 will be; drawn vto the top of the cylinder, and the clutch pedal I5 will be drawn forwardly to full clutch disensasins position. u

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the control valve housing 2| is formed with an upper chamber 3| that registers with a port 32 in the upper end of the cylinder 20. The bottom wall of chamber 3| is formed with an annular valve seat 33, on which seats the main control valve 34 that is normally held to its seat by a thrust spring 35 footed against ,a depending boss 36 formedon the top wall of the chamber 3|. 'I'he port controlled by the valve 34 opens into a lateral passage 31, to the outer end of which the pipe 22 is connected by means of a suitable packing 38.' Manifestly, the opening of the valve 34 places the upper end of the cylinder 28 in free` communication with the intake manifold I2 through pipe 22, passage 31, chamber 3| and DOrt 32.

In the lower portion of the valve housing 2| is formed a chamber 39 housing a solenoid magnet eld 48 and plunger 4|. 'Ihe reduced upper end portion of the plunger 4| passes through a hole in the top wall of the chamber 89 and is adapted, when the magnet is energized, to strike and quickly raise the valve 34 and carry the upper reduced end of the latter against an upper valve seat 42 that controls a vertical air passage 43 extending through the boss 36. Mounted on the upper end of the housing 2| is a cylinder 44 containing a piston 45, the cup leather of which slidably engages with the internal wall of the cylinder 44. 46 designates a lateral air port in the lower end of the cylinder 44. On the lower end of the stem 41 of the-piston 45 is a-. disc valve 48 that forms a draft check valve and cooperates with a valve seat 49 formed on the bottom wall of the cylinder 44 and surrounding a port 58 that registers with the upper end of the air passage 43. The upper end of the stem 41 is guided in a socket 5| formed in the lower end of a regulating screw 52 mounted in the top wall of the cylinder 44, and a thrust spring 53 encircling the stem 41 and footed on the lower end of the screw 52 normally urges the piston 45 and valve 48 to closed position. 'I'he space in the cylinder 44 above the piston 45 is normally vented to the main valve chamber 3| by a passage 54, the size of which is regulated by an adjusting screw 55.

Attached to the lower end of the magnet housing 39 is a second magnet housing 58 containing a solenoid magnet field 51 and plunger 58. The

upper reduced end of the plunger 58 slidablyI en- Y gages a hole in the top wall of the casing 56 and abuts against the lower end of the upper solenoid plunger 4|. It may here be explained that the plunger 58 of the lower magnet is designed to have a considerably shorter throw than the plunger of the upper magnet, for a purpose later explained. A

Referring again to the vacuum motor, the bottom wall 26 of the cylinder 28 is equipped with a pair of valves, the function of which is to permit free entrance of air to the cylinder as the piston 23 rises, and to regulate the escape of the trapped air after the fashion of a dash-pot, as the piston descends so as to effect variable speed clutch` engaging movements. An air intake valve 59 equipped with a suitable leather or rubber facing 68, controls a lateral air passage 6| in the lower end of the cylinder wall, and the stem 62 of said valve is hollow and is formed with a lateral vent port 63 below the stem bearing, to provide a restricted air outflow duct. The valve is normally held to its seatvby a light spring 64 footed on the lower end of the stem bearing and on a head 8l on the lower end of the stem.

The other air intake valve 86 is generally similar to the valve 59, and normally closes a lateral air passage 61 similar to the passage 6|. The Stem of valve 66, however, is solid and the valve is normally held seated by a light spring 88y confined between the lower end of the stem bear- 'ing and a head 69 on the lower end of the valve connection between the accelerator pedal I6 andl the carburetor |3. Attached to the rod 18 is a circuit opening and closing contact finger 1| This contact linger cooperates with a pair of spaced contact buttons 12 and 13 mounted on ,an insulated support 14. Onl the instrument board of the car is a master switch designated as an entirety by 15. This switch is connected on one side through a lead 16 to a battery B, or other source of electric current, and on its other side by a lead 11 and branch leads 18 and 19 to the contacts 12 and 13, respectively. The leads 18 and 19 extend through the magnets 48 and 51, respectively, and when the master switch is closed and the finger 1| is in contact with the button 12,

the magnet 40 is energized, and when said finger" control valve 34 is raised, opening the passage.

from the manifold to the vacuum motor and closing the air passage 43, so that, with the motor running, the clutch pedal I5 is instantly drawn forward, opening the clutch.

During the clutch closing or re-engaging movement, the piston 23 descends, expelling the body of air beneath, and in order that this movement ofthe piston may be most retarded while the car in low gear is starting from a standstill to low speed, and may move more rapidly while the car, in seco'nd gear, is accelerating from low gear speed to second gear speed, and may be still more accelerated while the car, in high gear, is accelerating from intermediateI to high speed, I have provided means, next to be described, for suitably controlling the valves 59 and 68 to obtain these results. 1

Referring to Fig. 2, fast on a suitably journaled rock` shaft 88 slightly below the cylinder 28 is an arm 8|, the free end o'f which underlies the lower end of the valve stem 62 in a position to raise the valve 59. Also fast on rock shaft 88 is a depending arm 82 connected by a link 88 (Fig. 1) to one arm( 84 of a bell crank lever that is suitably pivoted at 85. To the other arm 88 of said bell crank lever is pivoted a link 81 formed with a laterally bent end 81 that, asmost clearl ly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is pivotally mounted in a bearing sleeve 88, on the lower end of a bent arm 89, which latter at its upper end carries a collar' 98 embracing and keyed to the gear shift lever I1. The connection of the arm 88 to the gear shift lever |1 is such that .fore and aft movements of the gear shift lever do not effect any substantial up and down movements of the arm 89, while lateral or side movements of the gear shift lever do cause up and down movements of the arm 89. When the lever |1 is shifted sidewise to the left, as in the standard gearshii't,

aoaave the slight downward movement of the arm 89 caused thereby, through the described connections, merely rocks the arm 8l slightly downwardly, so that it does not affect the valve 59. Thus, when the car is in low gear or reverse, the only vent of the cylinder 20 is through the hollow valve stem 62. However, in placing the car in intermediate or second speed, the gear shift lever il is shifted sidewise to the right. 'This causes an upward movement of the arm 89 and, through the described connections, causes the arm il to lift the valve 59 olf its seat, so that the cylinder 20 is then vented more freely through the passage tl.

When the transmission has been shifted into high gear. not only does the valve 59 remain open, but the ctherfvalve 66 is opened by means of a solenoid magnet underlying the valve, or it may be opened mechanically if desired. This magnet is clearly shown in Fig. 2 wherein 9i is the magnet casing; 92 the held, and 93 the solenoid plunger, `the upper reduced end of which unders lies the stem of the valve 66. This magnet 92 is included in a branch circuit @4 (Fig. ll from the circuit line ll, the circuit line` @l being suitably grounded, as indicated Iat G in Fig. l, and including a pair of spaced contact points 95 and i6 (Figs. l and 4) lying opposite a circuit closlng switch 91 mounted on and insulated from the iorward'end of one of the slidable gear support- 'lng shafts 98of the variable speed transmission gearing, so that, as the gear' shift lever is thrown into the highest gear, the circuit is closed through the magnet 92, the valve 66 is instantly raised, and the cylinder 20 is vented through both passages 6I and 51, thus permitting a comparatively rapid clutch engaging movement between intermediate and high speeds. In this way the speed o'f the clutch engaging .movement is brought into proportion with the car speed, so that the clutch picks upthe load smoothly and without any appreciable abruptness in the car travel.

It remains to briefly describe the operation and function of thepiston 45 and auxiliary air valve.

.the same time that the piston 23 is raised, the

vacuum` acting through passage 54 raises the piston 4.'iv and valve 48, thus opening passage 43 '111e in to the atmosphere through port 46. stant magnet 40 or 51 is de-energized, the main valve 34 instantly re-seats itself on seat 33 under' the suction and the thrust of spring 35, and air flows into thetop of cylinder 20 through port 46, passage 43, chamber 3| and port 32, permitting access o f atmospheric pressure to the top of piston 23. During the descending movement of piston 23,- piston 45 carrying valve 48 descends comparatively slowly under the thrust of spring 53 so that, by the time the motor piston 23 has come to rest. with the clutch fully engaged, valve v43 has re-seated itself, and the cycle of the vacvalve ancillary to the valve mechanism in the bottom of cylinder 20, for regulating the amount the clutch-closing movement of 'piston 23 to be' controlled by both regulable plenum below the piston and regulable vacuum above the piston.

Briefly describing the operation of placing the car'vfrom a standstill into high speed, and assuming that the car is at rest, with the engine running and with the master switch l5 open, and the accelerator pedal i6 in its normal fully retracted position, the circuit through the upper magnet 1W is closed at the contacts ll, li and \op'en at the master switch. The master switch is then closed, which instantly closes the circuit, energizing magnet l0, and the plunger thereof shifts the main valve 3d od its lower seat di and against its llDDQr seat l2. This places the upper end of the cylinder 2B into free communication with the suction in the manifold and draws piston 23 to the upper end oi its cylinder, quickly opening the clutch. At the same tmc, the suction in the manifold acting through duct 54 raises piston d5 and valve du. Gear shift lever il is then manipulated to place the trans mission in low gear, and this merely rocks the arm 8l idly downwardly, as above described. Pressure on the accelerator pedal it hrst breaks the circuit through magnet 4ii at li, li, which instantly reseats valve 34, yclosing the suction line to the manifold and opening the vent line above piston 23 to the atmosphere. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2. The piston 23 then descends, forcing the air ahead of it out through the hollow 'stem 62 of valve 59, which, at this point, is the sole vent. ils the clutch approaches engaging position, f the vaccelerator is pushed further inwardly, closing for an instant the circuit through magnet 5l at ll, 73. -This gives a brief partial re-opening movement to valve 34, just suilicient to .momentarily checker retard the movement of the piston 23 as the clutch members come into contact with each other, thus insuring' an easy start through slip of the clutch members. Continued inward movement of the accelerator pedal, however, again cuts olf the suction, and the clutch comes into full engagement during the unal retarded descent of the piston 23.

As the transmission is shifted from low to in termediate, the valve 59 is raised by the .arm 8l.' so that, during thenext descent of the piston 23 the air is more freely vented through passage 6I, and the clutch-engaging movement is more rapid. 'As the transmission is next shifted from intermediate to high, thevalve 51 remains open, and in addition the valve 66 is opened, so

that the clutch moves even more quickly into fully engaged position, in accordance with the further increased speed which car has attained. Each time a change of gear is made, the accelerator pedal I6 is, of course, released tol avoid racing the engine, and, as the contacts il and 12 thus close the circuit through magnet 40, the clutch is instantly opened just in advance of the gear shifting operation.

My invention in its preferred and most complete form also includes means for slowing up the clutch engagement when the car is coasting or free-wheeling at high rate's of speed with the transmission in intermediate or high, so as to avoid an unpleasant y checking or retarding ofthe car movement as the clutch takes hold.

This is accomplishedby independently operable means which causes a slower escape of air from the cylinder 20 than' in the mechanism thus far described, by causing either or both of the valves 59 and 66 to be closed during the clutchengaging movement. A mechanism which accomplishes this result by causingv the closing of valve 59 is shown in Figs. l, 5 and 6, and may comprise the following parts. Incorporated in the rod 83 is a resilient slip joint comprising a cylinder |00, one end of which is coupled at to one section of the rod 83. The other section of the rod 83 slidably passes through a hole in the other end of cylinder |00 and carries a head |02. interposed between the head |02 and the other end of the cylinder is a compression spring |03 that is stronger than the valve spring 6ft. Slidably mounted in the foot-board I8 at one side of the accelerator pedal vi6 is a push knob |04, the stem |05 of which is pivoted to one arrn |06 of an elbow-lever which may be pivoted on the strut 30 or other support, the other arm |01r of said lever having a forked free end straddling the rod 03 between a pair of buttons |08 fast on said rod.I The` operator with his foot on the accelerator pedal depresses the knob |04 by the edge of his foot an instant before the accelerator has stepped. the motor up, and this retracts the upper section of,rod 83 (the spring |03 yielding) thus lowering the arm 8i and permitting valve 69 to close and so choking the escape of the air and retarding the clutch-engaging movement and permitting ample clutch slippage to prevent shocl: or jar. At the same time, this accessory device does not interfere with the regular operation when changing gears.

Another device for the same purpose which may be used with, or independently of, the device last described, consists simply of an independent switch in the circuit 94 that energizes the magnet 9| to open valve 66 when the gear lever is shifted into high gear position. Any circuit make-and-break switch may be employed for this purpose, and in Fig. 7, I have illustrated a known type of switch comprising an insulated push-and-pull rod ||0 mounted in a box attached to the instrument board and carrying a switch bar l|2 that co-operates with a pair of contacts ||3 and ||4, the switch bar being locked in on and off position by a spring-actuated dog ||5. When this device is employed, and the car is coasting at a high rate of speed with the transmission in high, the driver may break-the circuit line 94, thus permitting valve 66 to close and slow `up the clutch engagement by further trapping air in cylinder 20, and so smoothing out any piling up action that might occur by reason of a too abrupt clutch engagement. From the foregoing it will be seen that the clutch control herein shown and described will free wheelf or disengage the vclutch in all speeds smoothly and instantly, without braking the movement of the car as the foot is taken off the accelerator pedal, since the vacuum motor is instantly thrown into action to disengage the clutch as the foot lets up on the accelerator pedal, and no tendency for the clutch to keep pulling. while in gear is sensed or felt, neither is any such action felt when shifting into another gear. Nor is there the likelihood that thedriver may be caught between neutral and actual` gear engagement with the clutch not disengaged,

la as can be the case in mechanically controlled valves because of their slow opening and closing.

By merely opening the master switch 15, the device may be rendered idle, andthe car operated by foot in the usual manner. The most salient advantages of the present improvement lie in the saving of tiresome clutch pedaling, the prevention of slippingin higher gears and grabbing in lower gears, and the smooth and easy acceleration of car speed when starting and shifting gears.

I claim: i

1. 'I'he combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal, and a gear shift lever, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a

' suction control valve in said pipe, a pair of selfclosing air intakevvalves for said cylinder, means affording a restricted air vent for said cylinder, and means put in operation by said gear shift lever for opening one or both of said valves to speed up, the outflow of air from said cylinder.

'2. 'I'he combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal, and a gear shift lever, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake-manifold of the motor, a suction control valve in said pipe, a self-closing air intake valve formed with a duct effecting a restricted outflow of air from said cylinder on the other side of said piston, an additional selfclosing air intake valve, andv means put in operation by said gear shift lever for successively openingsaid valves to speed up the outflow of air from said cylinder.

3. The combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal; and a gear shift lever, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a suction control valve in said pipe, a self-closing,air intake valve for said cylinder, means aording a restricted air vent for said cylinder,

i mechanical means operated by said gear shift lever for opening said valve to speed up the outflow of air from said cylinder, an additional self-closing air intake valve, an` electric circuit including a magnet for opening said additional valve, and a switch in said circuit actuated by said gear shift lever.

4. The combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal, and a gear shift lever, of a cylinder, a piston in'said cylinder connected to said clutch4 pedal for opening the clutchf a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a suction control valve in said pipe, a self-closing air intake valve for said cylinder, means affording a restricted air vent for said cylinder, mechanical means operated by s'aid gear shift lever for opening said valve to speed up the outflow of air from said cylinder, and means for releasing said valve from the action of said last-named means and permitting it to close when desired.

5. The combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal, and a gear shift leverv of a cylinder, a piston in seid cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a suction control valve in said pipe. a self-closing tor, a clutch pedal, and an accelerator, of acylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a sucs tion pipe connecting said cylinder with the intake manifold of the motor, a self-closing valve in said suction pipe, and electrically actuated means controlled: by said accelerator for effecting opening movements of said valve of varying extent.

7. The combination with an automobile mo` tor, a clutch pedal, and an accelerator, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder with the intake manifold of the motor, a scifi-closing valve in said suction pipe, and electrically actuated means' controlled by said acceleratory for effecting suc-y cessive full and. partial openingv movements of said valve in retracted and advanced positionsr respectively of said accelerator.

8. The combination with anautomobile motor, la clutch pedal, and an accelerator, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder with the intake manifold of the motor, a self-closing valve in said suction pipe, a magnet for opening said valve, an electric circuit for energizing said magnet, spaced contacts in said circuit, and a switch'connected to and operated by said accelerator, said switch closing the circuit through one of said contacts.

in the tracted position of said accelerator and through the other of said contacts in a forward position of said accelerator.-

- 9. The combination with an automobile motor a clutch pedal, a carburetor, an accelerator pedal, anda rod connecting said accelerator pedal to said carburetor, of a cylinder, a, piston in said cylinder conneted to said clutch pedal for cpening the clutch', a suction pipe connecting said cylinder with the intake manifold of the motor, a self-closing valve in said suction pipe, a magnet for'opening said valve', an electric circuit for energizing said magnet, spaced contacts in said Y circuit, and a switch mounted on said rod, said switch closing the circuit through one of said contacts, in the retracted position of said accelerator pedal and through the other of said contacts in an advanced position of said accelerator pedal.

10. The combination with an automobile motor, a clutch pedal, a carburetor, an accelerator pedal, and a rod connecting said accelerator pedal. to

said carburetor, of a cylinder,l a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said the circuit through one. of said contacts in the retracted position of said accelerator pedal and through the other of said contacts in an advanced '10 position of said accelerator pedal. l1. The combination with anautomobile motor, and a clutch pedal, of. a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a. suction control valve in said pipe, means for venting the vacuum-in said cylinder during the return movement of said piston, a draft check valve controlling said venting means, and means forl regulating the speed of the closing movementof said draft check valve.

12. The combinationwithV an automobile motor, and a clutch pedal, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, asuction control valve in said pipe, means for venting. .the vacuum in said cylinder duringvthe return movement of said 30.

piston, a draft check valve controlling said venting means, suction-actuated means for opening said draft check valve, and a. spring urging said draft check valve to closed position,

13. The combination with an automobile motor, 35 'and a clutch pedal, of a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder connected to said clutchn pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting said cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a suction control valve in 40 said pipe, means for venting the vacuum in said cylinder during the return movement of said piston, a draft check valve controlling said venting means, suction-actuated means for opening spring urging said draft check valve to closed position, and means for varying the tension of said spring.

14. The combination with an automobile motor, and a clutch pedal, ofA a cylinder, a piston in. said cylinder connected to said clutch pedal for opening the clutch, a suction pipe connecting Asaid cylinder on one side of said piston with the intake manifold of the motor, a normally closed self-closing suction control valve in said pipe, a manually controlled magnet for opening said A valve, means for effecting restricted outflow of air from said cylinder on the other side vof said piston during the return movement of the lattenV m and regulable means structurally independent of said suction control valve for venting thevacuum PAUL R. 

